Harbaugh says Carlos Rogers is “equipped” to cover Wes Welker

SANTA CLARA — This is what Jim Harbaugh said about the Patriots at his Wednesday press conference.

Q: When you look at the Patriots on film, is it a daunting task when they’re playing they way they are at this time of year?

HARBAUGH: “Definitely a big challenge and a big task. That’s what we’re preparing for right now.”

Q: Patriots QB Tom Brady and the Patriots don’t give up a lot of sacks. To what do you attribute that pass protection? Is he good at avoiding sacks himself?

HARBAUGH: “Yes, there are volumes of evidence on that. Getting the ball out of his hand, understands protections and blitzes as good as anybody there is in football.”

Q: Have you either recently or in the past talked to your brother about preparing for the Patriots?

HARBAUGH: “Yeah, we’ve talked a little bit.”

Q: What were his insights?

“Wasn’t real extensive, but he’s preparing for his own games.”

Q: The Patriots are kind of the gold standard and have been for the last decade. Have you looked a lot at what Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has done or borrowed from him? How much have you looked at what he’s done and the way he runs things as a coach?

HARBAUGH: “I think we have done some of that. And like a lot of people in the league, you look at things that have worked and there are certain things about his program, his team that you want to be about, you want to emulate.”

Q: Anything you could specify?

HARBAUGH: “Quite a number of things. On field, off field, some of their draft strategies.”

Q: On Monday you alluded to his ability or their ability to dramatically alter their schemes from week-to-week, you don’t know really what to expect. How hard is that to do, if I was interpreting what you said correctly?

HARBAUGH: “It’s a difficult challenge, it’s a task. It’s one that we’re not unfamiliar to. There’s quite a few teams in the league that do the same thing, have a high volume of defense or offense or special teams, and will give you a new look, something that you haven’t seen. And you prepare for it the best you can.”

Q: The team oriented philosophy that you’ve always preached over the last couple of years, that’s obviously something Belichick hammered in early in his career with the Patriots. Is that something that you learned from and borrowed as well, of how the Patriots embrace the team aspect?

HARBAUGH: “I don’t know that. No, I haven’t observed that or familiar with that part of their team.”